THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Dutch authorities are launching an investigation into what Dutch intelligence agencies knew about the risks of flying through Ukrainian airspace before Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was downed in July.

The Commission of Oversight for the Intelligence and Security Services announced the investigation Tuesday at the request of crash investigators probing the air disaster that killed all 298 people on board the Boeing 777.

A key question being asked by the commission is what information two Dutch intelligence agencies had about the safety of airspace over conflict-torn eastern Ukraine before the July 17 downing of the plane and to what extent they shared that with aviation security authorities.

Dutch police say the most likely cause they are investigating is that the passenger jet was shot down.